


PART ONE: 50 Bucks and Some Interesting Side Effects

by eadreytheiptscray



Series: A Rare Thing, Indeed [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas Fluff, Drift Compatibility, Drift Side Effects, Drunk Texting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Ghost Drifting, Graduation, Holidays, Mutual Pining, New Year's Fluff, Post-Drift (Pacific Rim), Road Trips, Slow Burn, Studying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-06-12 19:13:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15346686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eadreytheiptscray/pseuds/eadreytheiptscray
Summary: $50 is a lot of money to a college student. So when Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori hear about a psychology experiment that pays cash, they can't resist. Of course, they don't count on the unforeseen side effects of Drifting with a total stranger.—————This fic, part one of five (not including the prologue), follows Raleigh and Mako through their college years, which means there's:- holiday fluff (Christmas and New Year's, especially)- heartfelt conversations and drunk texts- college shenanigans- angst from chasing the RABIT- all kinds of good OTP promptsThis story's going to be long enough that I'm splitting it into several parts. Keep reading to find out how they go from strangers in college to Rangers in the PPDC.





	1. The Drift

**MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2018  
OLYMPIA HALL, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

The psychology hall's research suite is packed with students in varying degrees of study and sleep deprivation. A few students chat with each other over coffee or Red Bull; most sit by themselves and peer over their phones or laptops.

Raleigh Becket is one of the latter. Adjusting the hand-me-down rucksack pinned between him and the blue plastic chair, he leans over his computer to type the last few paragraphs of a 10-page essay—which he's put off until the last minute, as always.

A cacophony of footsteps announces the arrival of dozens of students just getting out of class, all eager to join the throng congregated in the room and spilling into the hallway. Mako Mori squeezes into the lounge and adjusts the engineering books in her arms. In the process, she yanks out one of her earbuds, and she moves a strand of electric blue hair to put it back in place.

The door to the makeshift research lab opens.

"Thank you all for your patience," a frazzled lab tech shouts over the din. "If you've just arrived, please complete and sign a consent form." She points to a thinning stack of paper sitting on a desk in the center of the room. "Once you've filled it out, slip it through the door here. We will call you in pairs to start testing."

"How long's the wait?" A voice calls from the back of the room.

"About an hour," the tech says before disappearing back into the lab.

Groans ripple through the crowd, and most of the new arrivals leave. Mako fights against the river of people exiting the room and snatches one of the last forms on the desk. She scribbles down her information and slides the form into the slot on the door before grabbing one of the recently vacated seats.

"Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky?" Another lab tech calls from the open doorway. Two tall, blonde foreign exchange students stand up and follow the tech to the back room.

Mako opens her laptop, where detailed schematics clutter the screen. As president of the robotics team, she has quite the task to create a machine that can do what it takes to win in the regional competition next month. An hour is all the time she needs.

She's so engrossed in her studies that she hardly notices when the lab tech calls her name.

"Last call for Mako Mori?"

"Wait, that's me!" Mako slams her computer shut and shoots to her feet. She follows the lab tech to a brightly lit room containing what looks like two dentist chairs hooked up to a giant server. She gulps.

"Not many people are willing to wait," one of the lab techs mutters to her colleague. "I had to call thirty people before I got to Miss Mori here."

"I guess fifty bucks wasn't worth it. Go ahead and take a seat for me here, Miss Mori," the other lab tech says with a smile. As he hooks her up to several machines and attaches electrodes to her scalp, he explains the experiment in detail. Mako only understands half of what he's saying.

"I'm going to count down from ten and we'll initiate the Drift," the lab tech says. "Ready?"

Mako nods. So does the person in the chair beside her.

"Ten, nine, eight…"

Mako closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. The machine whirs, and her thoughts rush like whitewater rapids and crash into the stranger's. When she comes to just seconds later, her entire world has changed.


	2. Your Stress Is Mine

**TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018**  
**THE BECKET BROTHERS' APARTMENT**

 

Raleigh wakes up the next morning with a throbbing headache and what look like blueprints running through his mind. The state qualifiers are coming up in less than four weeks, and the robotics team hasn’t even begun planning—

 _Wait_.

He swings his feet over the edge of his bed, massaging his forehead until the world stops spinning. His major is military history. So why is he thinking about building robots?

"The Drift experiment," he mutters, rubbing his face. "Must be one of the side effects the tech was talking about."

Slowly getting to his feet, Raleigh shuffles toward his desk and sifts through stacks of notebooks and loose paper. It takes him a minute, but he finds what he’s looking for: a log of observations he needs to make in the week post-Drift. Completing it and turning it in means $50 in his pocket—and a step closer to funding his backpacking trip through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

 _Dreamed about prepping for a robotics competition_ , he writes in blue pen. _I’m not at all interested in robotics, but somehow I had ideas for machine parts and designs. No clue where they came from._

A knock on the door snaps him out of his confusion.

“Hey, kid, you still here?”

“Yeah," Raleigh calls. "Door’s open.”

Raleigh's brother steps inside and leans against the frame. “Looks like someone slept in,” Yancy says with a smirk.

“No kidding? What time is it?”

“Just after nine.”

Raleigh swears under his breath and scrambles to shove his laptop and notebooks into his rucksack. “Great. I had a paper due this morning.”

“Did you party hard last night? You look a little out of it.”

“No, but....” Raleigh throws on the first clean shirt he finds and laces up his boots. “It’s been a weird morning. I’ll tell you about it after class.”

“Sounds good. Hey, grab some milk and eggs on the way back, will you?”

But Raleigh is already running out the door on the way to his professor’s office.

—————

It’s almost four by the time Raleigh drags himself back to the apartment he shares with Yancy. Despite popping several ibuprofen throughout the day, he still can't seem to shake the headache he woke up with. Worse, detailed blueprints and training charts swirling around his mind have made it difficult to concentrate on much of anything.

“Bad day, huh?” Yancy asks when he stumbles on Raleigh slumped into the couch in the dark living room.

Raleigh squints when Yancy flicks on the lights, keeping the cold soda can pressed against his forehead. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“Does this have something to do with the bad morning you had?” Yancy grabs himself a Coke from the fridge and plops down in the armchair next to Raleigh.

“You got it.”

“Do tell.”

“Did you go to the psych building yesterday?”

“Yeah. There were tons of people there. What's that about?”

“They’re doing some kind of experiment that pays twenty-five bucks up front and another twenty-five when you go back. The thing is, they hook you and another person up to a computer and basically meld your minds together—or at least that’s what it feels like. They call it Drifting. Apparently they want to test the side effects.”

“Don’t tell me you did it.”

Raleigh nods.

“Geez, Raleigh—“

“It’s fifty bucks. Why wouldn’t I? Well, today I experienced the first of the side effects. I woke up stressed about a robotics competition and had all sorts of blueprints floating around up here.” He taps his temple gently. “I have no idea where it all came from.”

“Maybe you’re reading the other person’s mind,” Yancy chuckles, taking a sip of his Coke and turning on the TV. “It’s not like you can learn an entirely new subject overnight.”

Raleigh sits up so fast he almost passes out. “What did you say, Yance?”

“Think about it: You said you had your mind blended with a stranger’s. Maybe you now know whatever they know. I pity the poor soul who has to learn about military history from you. Still don’t know why you chose to study that.”

“Yancy, you’re a genius.”

“I’m glad you finally noticed—hey, where are you going?”

“Psych building. I’ll be back!” Raleigh calls over his shoulder, slamming the apartment door behind him.

—————

He’s breathless from running across campus when he throws open the doors of Olympia Hall. With five o’clock approaching, he’s not sure that the techs will still be in their lab. But it can’t hurt to try.

Luckily, he runs right into one of the techs he met the day before.

“Just who I’m looking for,” Raleigh says, catching the guy off guard. “I need your help.”

“I’ll see what I can do, brother. Whatcha need?”

“I was here yesterday for that experiment, and I need to get in touch with the person I Drifted with.”

The tech’s eyes twinkle. “Cute girl with blue hair, huh? Yeah, I remember you two.”

“It’s not like that—“

“Do you want her number?”

“Yes. Do you have it?”

The tech looks around them and lowers his voice. “Technically, I’m not allowed to give out other participants’ information…”

“I just need to ask her a question, that’s all.”

“Is this about the study, or something a little more… personal?” Here the tech gives him a knowing wink.

“Both?”

The tech throws back his head and chuckles. “I like you, so I’ll make an exception. The name’s Tendo,” he says, thrusting out his hand.

“Raleigh. And thanks so much.”

“Nice to meet you, Raleigh. Wait right here.”

It’s five minutes before Tendo reemerges from the door at the far corner of the lab. But when he does, he’s holding a scrap of paper and has a smug grin on his face.

“Her name’s Mako Mori. She’s a freshman in mechanical engineering. Smart girl. Here’s her number”—Tendo points to one side of the scrap paper, where he’s scrawled nine digits in red pen—“and on the back is my number. Text me and let me know how things go. I guarantee you’ll thank me ten years from now!”

"I doubt it," Raleigh says, but he pockets the slip of paper anyway. “Thanks, Tendo.”

He’s not even out of the psych building by the time he sends a text to Mako.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **CONTENT EDIT: I decided halfway through the fic that both brothers are dedicated to their ROTC programs, so I swapped the beer in their fridge for soda.


	3. How Did You Get This Number?

**TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2018**  
**ELSON HALL, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

Mako is hunched over her thermodynamics test, wildly scribbling in her answers, so she doesn’t hear her phone buzz inside her bag. It’s nearly midnight when she finally digs it out and sees a message from an unknown number.

_This can wait until tomorrow,_ she muses, tossing her phone back in her backpack and digging out the minutes from the last robotics club meeting. She has a massive project to plan. There's no room for distractions.

But instead of dwelling on schematics for a state-of-the-art combat robot, she’s bombarded with details of skirmishes, dates and all, from past military confrontations.

She shrugs it off; after all, it’s been a long day. _It's stress from my thermo test_ , she decides. Powering through doesn’t help, however, and she eventually settles into bed with the promise of a migraine greeting her in the morning.

But it's a restless night. Vivid scenes run through her mind, and they're so real that they feel like memories: Boy Scout campouts, family trips to Munich and Budapest, the smell of stale cigarettes in a soft sofa. When Mako wakes up around six the next morning, she can’t quite figure out which ones were real and which ones were dreams.

While she waits for the water to boil for her tea, Mako scrolls idly through her phone. It's then that she remembers the strange text. She pulls it up to see what it says.

 

> **[(206)-867...]:**   _This is Raleigh. We were partners for that psychology experiment on Monday. I got your number from a friend because I need to know if I’m going crazy. Are you having any weird dreams or suddenly know stuff about a subject you’ve never studied?_

Mako debates whether or not she should text back. Whatever she experienced during the case study had been jarring. A flood of emotions and thoughts—thoughts that weren't hers—had threatened to drown her. The lab tech had told her that the experiment would merge her mind with another person's. At the time, she didn't believe him. But now...

Eventually, curiosity gets the best of her. She shoots a message back:

 

> **[MM]:** _Actually, yes. How did you know?_

A text comes a few minutes later:

 

> **[(206)-867...]:** _I woke up with the feeling that I had a robotics tournament to get ready for. The thing is, I had blueprints in my mind about something that looked like a Roomba with a chainsaw. You’re not part of the PRU Robotics Club, are you?_

Mako almost drops her phone. Had the experiment actually worked? She types out another message:

 

> **[MM]:**   _That's the design we're working on now. Are you part of the club, too?_
> 
> **[(206)-867...]:** _Nope. And I’m not at all familiar with robotics. That’s why I’m so weirded out. Anything like that happen to you?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _I couldn’t study last night because I kept thinking about the Battle of the Bulge. But I’m not in a history class this semester._
> 
> **[(206)-867...]:**   _We just learned about it in my military history class. Tendo was right about the wild side effects._
> 
> **[MM]:** _So you’re saying that this has something to do with the psychology study?_
> 
> **[(206)-867...]:** _Exactly. Can we meet up? I've got a lot of questions and I need some answers._

Mako doesn't reply for a few minutes. Given that he's a complete stranger asking to meet up, she isn’t sure she wants the guy digging into her personal life—beyond what he knows about her already. But then again, Raleigh pointed out some things that she can't explain away. She eventually responds:

 

> **[MM]:**   _Okay._
> 
> **[(206)-867...]:** _Perfect. Starbucks at 3?_

Mako checks her phone calendar for any scheduled study group meetings.

 

> **[MM]:** _I'll be free until 4. See you then._

—————

The small coffee shop isn’t as packed as she anticipates, so it’s easy for her to find Raleigh amid the crowd of tables. When Mako spots him sitting by himself against the wall, a half-dozen half-formed images flash through her mind:

_Young boys sneaking out… superhero capes and a cigarette lighter… wisps of smoke and hoarse coughs… a lighthouse beam sweeping over the ocean down below…_

She blinks; the memories vanish.

"Mako?" Raleigh calls, rising slowly from his seat. With his frayed rucksack, faded leather jacket, and five o'clock shadow, Raleigh sticks out from the other students hunching over their Macbooks and sipping iced coffees. As Mako approaches, he sticks out his hand.

She takes it. "Raleigh, nice to meet you."

"Please sit. I hope you don't mind that I already ordered. I just got out of class."

“That’s okay. I'll go get coffee.” She leaves her stuff on the seat across from Raleigh and strolls up to the counter to order. She's secretly thrilled that there's a line of people waiting for their drinks. Now she has time to plan her next move. What does he want to know about her? How much does he already know? What answers does he expect from her?

Out of the corner of her eye, Mako spots Raleigh poring over a newspaper. He's found an interesting article, it looks like; his fingers glide across the paper as if tracing the ink in the sentences.

Her stomach churns like it did the day of the experiment. _Just get through the next hour_ , she decides, _and then the followup study on Monday. After that, you won't have to see him again._

Armed with coffee and a new resolve, Mako saunters back to their table in the corner.

“So what’s this about?”

“I have a theory," Raleigh replies, folding the paper and stuffing it into his bag. "When we were strapped up to those machines and in each other's heads—they called it Drifting, I think—we shared more than memories.”

Mako takes a sip of her coffee. “You think we shared knowledge."

“Exactly. If you’re saying you’re thinking about military history and I’m thinking about a robotics competition, it's obvious that it has something to do with the Drift.”

“Okay,” Mako says, trying to process it all. “Let’s compare. What else have you been thinking about?”

“I see fragments of memories from our Drift together, mostly in my dreams. You’re in a few: building a tower out of Legos, scuba diving in Hawaii, dying your hair blue. It’s a good look for you, by the way.”

_Anyone could know that from looking at social media,_ Mako thinks, taking another sip. _I need proof. “_ Anything interesting?”

“I can’t remember much. Like I said, it’s all fragments of memories. And I know what you’re thinking. I’m a total stranger who could just be lying about this… connection. But I’m convinced that we shared more than each other’s memories during that Drift experiment, and if we did, it’s a big deal.”

Mako sighs and gulps down the last of her coffee. “You’re right. I don’t believe we have this connection you’re talking about. You could have seen all that on my Instagram. It’s been nice talking with you, but I need to go meet my study group. Goodbye, Raleigh.”

She leaves him at the table, but not before he mutters, “I know about the tattoo.”

“Lucky guess,” Mako whispers, but she freezes just steps from the table. Only Jake knows about her tattoo, and he promised he wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, he likely doesn't know Raleigh, much less well enough to spill her secret.

“It’s a sword, right? Because your dad—your biological father—was a swordmaker in Japan.”

_Not even Sensei knows,_ Mako thinks. _So how could Raleigh?_

“I’m telling you, Mako, I’m not lying. We know more about each other than we think, and it’s all because of the experiment. You probably know more about me just from the Drift than my brother could ever tell you.”

“Yancy,” she says, surprising herself with the revelation.

“Exactly. Like it or not, we’re connected. And this is more than some experiment where we can just walk away when it’s all done. We’re in this together.”

His words reverberate in her mind as she walks to the library, works with her study group, and rides the bus home that night: _Like it or not, we’re connected._


	4. Somewhere Between Strangers and Friends

**MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2018**  
**OLYMPIA HALL, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

A familiar streak of blue catches Raleigh's eye from across the psych hall. _Mako made it_ , he thinks, relief washing over him. After getting no response from her since meeting for coffee on Wednesday, Raleigh had started wondering whether or not she would show up to the experiment.

Mako takes a seat closest to the hallway, digging out her laptop and poring over something on her screen. _Blueprints_ , Raleigh muses. _Maybe that's why she was MIA all weekend_.

Only a handful of other students are in the research suite, a drastic change from the crowds that filled the hall a week before. Most sit in pairs; Raleigh recognizes the Russian couple, the Kaidonovskys, sitting in the corner and whispering to each other.

The door at the corner of the suite opens, and a tech calls the two in. Half an hour later, the Kaidonovskys saunter out of the psych hall walking in step and wearing identical smirks. Raleigh can't help but stare.

“Raleigh Becket? Mako Mori?”

Tendo's announcement brings him back, and he practically jumps out of his seat. Tendo leads him and Mako into a small room, and when Mako's back is turned, Tendo winks at Raleigh.

But it’s not Tendo who hooks them up to the machines. This time, it's a bespectacled and manic-looking grad student with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

“You made it back!” The tech says, rubbing his hands together. “Couldn’t chase you guys away, huh?”

“Fifty bucks is awfully tempting,” Raleigh replies, shrugging. He notices Mako hasn't said a word.

“Right, right,” the tech mutters distractedly, fumbling around with a clipboard. “Well, if that’s what it takes. Okay, introductions. You’re Raleigh, you’re Mako, I’m Newt. I'm working with Dr. Caitlin Lightcap on all this stuff." He sweeps his arm around the tiny room, which feels even more cramped because of the computer servers, metal tubes, and beeping sensors.

"So," he continues, "you're probably wondering why you're here again. 'The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of transferring two individuals' memories and problem solving skills using a neural connection,'" he recites. "'This is through a process known as the Drift. With it, we can test the limits of human endurance, technology, and' blah blah blah.”

Newt flips a few pages. “I’ve read this twenty times already, so here’s the gist: The Drift is going to change the world. We don’t really know what the long-term effects are, so that’s where you two come in. Ah, and I see you brought your charts…”

Tendo hands over their observation logs, which Newt glances over. His mouth moves ever so slightly as he reads a few sentences to himself, and he chuckles as he reviews Mako’s. _I wonder what she wrote_ , Raleigh thinks.

“Great, yeah, these look great,” Newt says, pinning them to the clipboard. "Okay, so what we’re going to do now is have you guys Drift and then answer a couple of questions. Ready?”

“Uh—“ is all Raleigh manages before he and Mako are sucked down a whirlpool of memories:

_First day of class and I fall down the stairs, how's that for a first impression?... I'll sign up for robotics club just like Sensei wanted… Yancy, do we really have to move?... Fold the steel, Mako, sixteen times and it becomes a blade… let's get away from home for a while… how long will we have to live in Alaska?..._

It feels like hours have passed when they resurface. Blinking in the bright fluorescent light of the lab, they find Newt standing in front of them, crossing his arms and smirking.

 _Here we go_ , Raleigh thinks. He almost jumps out of his chair when a voice echoes in his mind.

_Does he have to look so cheerful?_

_Mako? Are we in each other’s heads?_

_It sounds like it._ She catches his eye.

“Hey, Earth to Becket.” Newt snaps his fingers in Raleigh’s face, and Raleigh fights the urge to flick him off. An insult bubbles up, and it isn't exactly private; Mako giggles.

Newt flicks his eyes between them but doesn't pry. “First test,” he says, holding up a math problem on a laminated sheet of paper. “What’s thirteen times seven?”

_Ten times seven for seventy plus three times seven for twenty-one—_

Mako’s thoughts are a rush of numbers, and Raleigh hears her say “ninety-one” before he can open his mouth.

“Okay,” Newt says, letting the paper fall to his feet. “Next test: What year was the Declaration of Independence signed?”

This time, it’s Raleigh who replies and Mako who’s left speechless. Her confusion ebbs into his mind and washes over him.

“1776, good. Next: What is the measurement of force in physics?”

Raleigh hears Mako think about the answer before she says it, and he blurts out “Newton” about half a second after she does.

Newt smirks. “Love that question. It’s too easy. Okay, vacuum grippers use what to pick up objects?”

Raleigh and Mako answer almost simultaneously: “suction.”

 _You feel that, right?_ Raleigh thinks, glancing at Mako. She looks back and her mouth twitches, but she doesn't fully smile.

“I’m impressed.” Newt puts down the clipboard and slides a silver laptop in front of him, rapidly typing out what must be an essay. “Are y’all dating?” He asks, not looking up.

"Um, we're just, uh—"

“No,” Mako finishes. Her embarrassment leaks through their Drift connection, and Raleigh feels himself blushing. “We met last week.”

“Huh,” Newt says, swiveling in the chair to face them. “Usually Drift compatible subjects are dating, married, siblings, something like that. We haven’t had a lot of luck with strangers.” He goes quiet and types out even more observations, which unnerves both Raleigh and Mako. “I’d love to see how this plays out. How about you two come back in a month for another round?”

Newt pulls a switch to end the experiment, and Raleigh feels Mako’s presence recede from his mind. He shivers.

“Now, since cash brought you here in the first place, I'll see if I can work out some sort of deal with my supervisors. Come back October 8th and I'll let you know, 'kay?”

“Deal,” Raleigh says, still reeling from the Drift. He wants nothing more than to curl up in a soft blanket, drink some hot tea, and sleep.

Tendo hands them an envelope with cash in it when they leave, and his grin is even wider when he makes eye contact with Raleigh.

“Sounds like you two are making progress,” he says, clapping Raleigh on the shoulder once Mako is out of earshot.

“If that guy wants us back in a month for more tests, I’d say so.” Raleigh stares longingly at the swinging door that Mako left through. _October can't come fast enough._


	5. Your Music Choice Is… Unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "RPG" by Sekai No Owari  
> \- "Won't Be Long" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "Respect" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "I Say a Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "Son of a Preacher Man" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "You're All I Need to Get By" by Aretha Franklin
> 
> These are the songs mentioned/alluded to in this chapter, in order of appearance. Most chapters from here on out will include a soundtrack like it—enjoy!

**SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018**  
**THE PENTECOSTS' HOUSE**

> **[RB]:** _What are you listening to?_

Mako glances at her buzzing phone. It's another message from Raleigh.

In the weeks following their second Drift, both Raleigh and Mako felt like they were being pulled together by a strong ocean current. It was something neither of them could explain. Fighting it seemed futile, so they decided to get to know each other the old-fashioned way: by texting.

 _It's about time for a study break_ , she thinks, standing and stretching. Her neck is stiff from peering at her textbook for the past—she glances at her alarm clock—five hours. While gently massaging her neck with one hand, she types a reply with the other:

> **[MM]:** _RPG by Sekai No Owari. Why?_

She doesn't have to wait long for Raleigh's response:

> **[RB]:** _I have some song stuck in my head. Just a few seconds, anyway. It may be the chorus, but I don’t understand it. Japanese pop, I’m guessing?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Yes. Does this mean we share music as well as memories?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _I guess it does._
> 
> **[MM]:** _That's good to know. Now that you know what I listen to, do you have any recommendations for me?_

A minute later, Raleigh sends her a link to his “Favorite Songs” playlist on Spotify. She clicks on the first song, and smooth jazz and a voice like honey fill her ears.

> **[MM]:** _I’m a little surprised._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Why?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _You strike me as a classic rock or country music fan. This is…. unexpected._
> 
> **[RB]:** _What can I say? I grew up with Aretha Franklin._
> 
> **[MM]:** _This is the first time I've listened to her._

Mako hears Raleigh's reaction in her head before she gets his text, and she can't help but smile.

> **[RB]:** _WHAT?! We'll have to fix that._
> 
> **[MM]:** _What songs should I start with?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Respect, I Say a Little Prayer, Son of a Preacher Man… you know what? I’m just going to make you a playlist._

Ten minutes later, Raleigh sends her another playlist: “For Mako.” In it are more than a hundred songs by Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Sam & Dave, Sam Cooke, and The Temptations. Mako recognizes only a couple of the artists.

> **[MM]:** _Thanks. I’ll listen to these while I’m studying._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Soul is good for focusing. Talk to you tomorrow!_

The slow, serene melodies and soothing vocals do make it easier to concentrate. Two hours later, Mako feels more than ready for her test the next morning. She sends Raleigh a playlist of her favorite songs, and she falls asleep as Aretha Franklin serenades her with "I'm Sitting on Top of the World."

—————

Mako wakes up bright and early the next morning with an upbeat jazz song echoing softly in her mind. An unread message glows on her phone screen, and she pulls it up, squinting in the bright light.

> **[RB]:** _Thanks for the playlist. I couldn't sleep last night, so I listened to it like ten times. Can you teach me Japanese so I can understand the lyrics?_

She sits up in bed and rubs the sleepiness from her eyes.

> **[MM]:** _Of course. I’m not sure when I have time, though. I need to start studying for finals, and regionals is next weekend._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Hmm, how about over Christmas?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _I can do that. Do you usually go home for the holidays?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _It’s just me and Yancy, so we’ll be sticking around here._

_Oh._ Despite learning a lot about Raleigh through the two Drifts, Mako never thought to ask about his family. Yancy, she knows, is a big part of his life. But it seems he's the only family Raleigh has.

Mako eventually finds her words:

> **[MM]:** _Then that shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll be in town, too._

She doesn't mention that she’s celebrating Christmas with her adopted father and brother. It doesn't seem appropriate.

> **[RB]:** _Great! How'd you like the playlist I made you?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _I haven’t listened to all of the songs yet, but I like what I’ve heard so far. You were right, soul music is great for studying. All those artists have beautiful voices._
> 
> **[RB]:** _I wish I could sing half as well. I can dream, right?_

Mako smiles. It's hard for her to believe that just a month ago, neither knew the other existed. _Raleigh turned out to be such a genuine person_ , she thinks. Warmth flows through her, and she gets the sense that Raleigh picked up on that thought. She decides he should hear it anyway:

> **[MM]:** _You're nice to talk to. I'm glad we met._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Same. I hate that we haven't had time to hang out in person, but we'll at least see each other next week._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Think Newt will give us another $25?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _I hope so. I need money to go backpacking. What are you doing with your cash?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Probably putting it in savings._

It isn't really a lie. She is saving her money, but it's not for a rainy day. As kind as Sensei is, Mako knows he isn't willing to fund a month-long trip to Tokyo. But she wants to know what happened to her parents, and visiting her hometown is her best shot at finding answers. That's not something she feels comfortable sharing with just anyone. Even someone as genuine as Raleigh.

> **[RB]:** _That's a smart idea. Every bit helps, right?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Exactly._

Mako walks out the door with five minutes to spare. She and Raleigh might not be close friends—not yet, at least—but she enjoys talking with him about the small things: music and studies and upcoming holiday plans. That's all she needs to get by.


	6. We Share Our Wildest Dreams...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by The Temptations  
> \- "Dive!" by Daichi Miura

**SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2018**  
**THE BECKET BROTHERS' APARTMENT**

 

There's an unspoken agreement in the Becket house that October is the worst month.

When Raleigh and Yancy were kids, they saw it as purgatory, a whole month of agony before they could celebrate the holidays that mattered—including their birthdays, Yancy's in November and Raleigh's in December. But when Mom got cancer, October became much more than an annoyance.

So when Raleigh wakes up early on the first Saturday of the month, he's surprised to feel so excited. His alarm clock reads 6:43 a.m., but sleep is the last thing on his mind. _I might as well go hiking_ , he decides.

Yancy's still asleep, judging by the snoring, so Raleigh snatches the keys to the RAV4 from the kitchen table. _He'll call me if he needs them._

The winding drive to Cape Flattery is scenic, but the rocky overlook is even more so. The morning breeze rustles the spruce trees and ripples across the ocean waves, which crash into the craggy shoreline a few yards below. Fog is rolling in from the Pacific Ocean. There's a chill in the air, too, a sure sign that winter will be there in just a few short weeks.

The salty sea breeze is what Raleigh loves most about this coastal hike. Even deep within the forest, he can smell it as it drifts through the trees. On such an overcast morning, there are no other hikers in the area, so he has the entire point to himself.

As he gazes in awe at the ocean and ancient forest surrounding him, he catches himself thinking about the Roomba with the chainsaw—Mako's design for the robotics team. _If that's what's in Mako's head, she must be heading for the robotics competition._

Sure enough, he gets a text from Mako a few minutes later:

> **[MM]:** _On the way to regionals. I'll let you know how it goes._

He shoots a message back:

> **[RB]:** _I know you'll do well, but good luck anyway!_

After getting his fill of the crisp ocean air, he turns back to the woods, stepping off the boardwalk to take a detour along paths carved into the underbrush by fellow wanderers. It's almost eleven, but since Yancy hasn't called him about the car, he figures a trip to Shi Shi Beach can't hurt.

Two hours later, he's sitting on the bleached trunk of a fallen tree and digging his boots in the sand. The clouds and horizon are almost the same color, so it looks as if the world is covered in a fluffy gray blanket. _Someday_ , he muses, _I'll live in a cottage right by the beach, where I can watch the sun set and listen to the tide roll in._

His phone buzzes, but it's not Mako this time:

> **[YB]:** _Hey kid, did you take the car?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Yeah, I went hiking at the point. Need me to come back?_

_Please say no_ , Raleigh begs.

> **[YB]:** _Yep. We need food._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Fine. I'll start heading back. Give me two hours._
> 
> **[YB]:** _I don't know why you like hiking so much._
> 
> **[RB]:** _To get away from you, loser._
> 
> **[YB]:** _Oh please. You're doing me a favor._

It's not until he gets home around four that Raleigh realizes why he's been so wired all day. When he checks his phone, a series of text messages light up the screen:

> **[MM]:** _The first round went well. Waiting on scores._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Not bad. We could have done better, but I'll take it. Now to see how we did against the other teams…_
> 
> **[MM]:** _We did it! We're headed to the Olympic Peninsula Cup in February!_

Raleigh smiles and fires back a message:

> **[RB]:** _That's awesome! I bet you're relieved._

A few minutes later, he gets another text:

> **[MM]:** _Yes. But we need to work hard to qualify for state._

_When Mako finds something she loves, she pours her heart and soul into it_. Smiling, Raleigh leaves his phone on his desk and heads to the shower to get the salt and sand out of his hair. Half an hour later, he finds another message waiting for him:

> **[MM]:** _It's going to take forever to get home from Port Angeles. Help me pass the time. What did you do today?_

Raleigh finishes toweling off his hair and types a response:

> **[RB]:** _I woke up early, so I decided to go hiking at Cape Flattery. Ever been?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _No. Is it beautiful?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _It's unbelievable! I hate that I couldn't stay for the sunset. I bet it's stunning from that vantage point._
> 
> **[MM]:** _I'll have to add it to my bucket list._
> 
> **[RB]:** _You should. What else do you have on it?_

Mako doesn't respond for a few minutes. Raleigh fears he may have hit a nerve, but he's relieved to see a lengthy message light up his screen a few minutes later:

> **[MM]:** _Travel around Japan, visit Yellowstone, visit Pacific Science Center and the Flight Museum, work for NASA, go to space…_

Raleigh whistles.

> **[RB]:** _That's some bucket list. You're interested in space travel?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Oh yes. The universe is bigger than we could possibly imagine. I want to build ships that will help us explore new planets. But until then, I have these robotics competitions to hone my skills._

He figured a quiet girl like Mako would have a fair amount of secrets, but he never thought she would want to explore the universe. Seeing her open up is something special.

> **[RB]:** _Would you ever want to go up in a rocket you built yourself?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Absolutely. It would be a dream to see what lies beyond this world._
> 
> **[RB]:** _What do you think's out there? Aliens?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _No. We would have heard from them by now. I think what we will find are worlds far different than our own._
> 
> **[RB]:** _You're pretty cool, Mako._

Raleigh swears he can feel Mako blush. He lights up at her next text message:

> **[MM]:** _You're not so bad yourself._

Coming from Mako, it's the highest compliment he's ever received. That's why it takes him forever to think of a reply that's not sappy. As far as she's let on, she doesn't really want to share anything beyond their Drifting experiments and these texting conversations. His face falls slightly when he gets her next message:

> **[MM]:** _We made it back to PRU. Thanks for keeping me occupied._
> 
> **[RB]:** _No problem. Talk to you soon._

The competition may have been over, but the elation doesn't leave Raleigh—or Mako, he imagines. _The Drift is full of surprises_ , he thinks, turning to the homework he's been putting off all weekend. If the rest of October goes the way it did today, maybe the worst month of the year wouldn't be so bad. **  
**


	7. ... And Our Worst Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Won't Be Long" by Aretha Franklin  
> \- "Deep Beneath the Pacific" by Ramin Djawadi  
> \- "Just a Memory" by Ramin Djawadi  
> \- "The Beginning" by One OK Rock

**MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018**  
**OLYMPIA HALL, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

Nobody else is waiting in the research suite when Mako arrives. Panicking, she digs out her planner. _We are meeting at 2 p.m. So where is everyone?_  Luckily, she doesn't have to wait long for an answer.

> **[RB]:** _I'm in room B. Looks like we have an audience._

Room B is the biggest of the four rooms branching off of the large waiting area. The familiar Drift equipment is there, and so is Raleigh. But Mako is surprised by just how many other people are crammed into the tiny room: more than a dozen lab techs and interns in white coats, a couple of professors wearing thick reading glasses and dubious scowls, and Tendo and Newt, the only familiar faces besides Raleigh.

One of the scientists, despite her plain blonde hairstyle and nonchalant demeanor, seems to be more important than anyone else in the room. Although the interns and other scientists around her stand shoulder to shoulder, they give her plenty of space.

Mako's stomach churns; she wasn't expecting this many people to be observing her and Raleigh's third Drift. _Keep it together, Mako,_ she tells herself. _Raleigh will be in your head in a few minutes._

Raleigh gives her a small smile as Newt hooks them both up to the machines. But before he initiates the Drift, Newt turns to address the audience.

"Okay, people, you're in for a real treat. Mr. Becket and Miss Mori here are two of the most promising subjects in this case study. Dr. Lightcap"—he motions to the blonde scientist in the center of the crowd—"has been gracious enough to come down here just for the occasion."

Raleigh and Mako exchange a look.

"Right, right, right, you're all here to see the action. I'll stop talking." He turns to Raleigh and Mako. "Ready?"

They nod.

Drifting feels natural now. The once-terrifying rush of emotions, thoughts, and memories Mako had experienced just one month earlier is now familiar, almost comforting. She no longer holds her breath as she's submerged.

_Never believe that I loved you any less than I would have a son… blood's dripping down his nose but the guy deserved it, you can't just pick on people… what is that alarm?... no, we're going to college, it's what Mom would've wanted… we need to do whatever it takes to qualify for worlds… coming back to me on the 503, and it won't be long…_

But this time, there's a shadow lurking in the back of Mako's mind, like a shark circling divers on the ocean floor. Raleigh feels it, too.

 _You okay, Mako?_   He asks.

 _Yes,_ she replies, turning her mind back to the present. _Just… some feeling I can't shake._

Raleigh thankfully doesn't pry. Mako stares at the test in front of her. Newt, and presumably Dr. Lightcap, had prepared a slew of problems for her and Raleigh to solve together. Although their movements are limited by the metal tubes and wires keeping them in the Drift, they're able to sit just feet away from each other. Somehow, the proximity makes problem-solving easier.

Their Drift lasts longer this time. After they finish their written assessment—no small feat considering that the problems include advanced calculus and logic puzzles—they answer trivia questions like the ones Newt asked them during their last Drift.

About an hour passes before their connection starts wavering. Like ripples over a lake, waves of memories wash over them again and again until they're no longer able to concentrate. And it's then that Mako is sucked into her worst nightmare.

_Thick black smoke, I can't breathe, can't see, someone's screaming…_

_Mako?_ Raleigh's voice is tinny, barely distinguishable over the shrill beeping and panicked shouting.

_Mom, Dad, where are you?_

_Mako, what's happening?_

_There's so much smoke, I can't breathe… Mom? Dad?_

_Mako—_

Her eyes are watering and her throat feels raw, like the time she swallowed too much seawater in Sagami Bay. _I'm dreaming,_ a voice pleas in the back of her mind, but it's not enough to pull her out of the nightmare. The world around her burns, and she knows she's going to die—

_Mako!_

And it's over. The smoke vanishes, and the world goes silent. Mako opens her eyes to find herself in a stark-white laboratory filled with dozens of people. Whispers ripple through the crowd, and a few onlookers glance away when she makes eye contact.

Newt and Tendo rush to her side, blocking her from most of the curious stares. "You okay, kid?" Newt asks.

"Yes, I'm fine." She closes her eyes as nausea washes over her.

"What happened? Your chart just spiked."

Mako looks over at Raleigh, whose face is clouded with concern. She shakes her head. "I don't know. I must have been reliving some nightmare."

"Hm." Newt scribbles a few notes on his clipboard. "Well, I figured something weird would happen. We've never made people Drift for this long. How 'bout we call it a day?" He nods to a couple of nearby techs, who make quick work of getting Mako and Raleigh out of the tubes and wires. It's all Mako can do not to puke on the scuffed linoleum floor.

Fortunately, she makes it all the way to the bathroom.

"Mako?" Raleigh calls from behind the door. "Hey, are you okay?"

She wipes her mouth and rises shakily to her feet. Her skin feels clammy, like she just stepped out of the ocean. "Yes," she responds hoarsely.

Raleigh's waiting for her when she steps outside. "I know you said it was a nightmare, but that felt… real. I could taste the smoke."

Mako shakes her head. "If it was real, I don't remember it happening." Nightmares like that would plague her as a kid, but it had been a long time since she'd dreamed about dying in a fire.

Outside, the smell of burning leaves wafts over to her, and she nearly throws up again. Dizzy, she freezes on the sidewalk, closing her eyes and grabbing the nearest streetlight to stay upright.

"You don't look so good. Can I take you to the health center?"

"No, but thank you for the offer. I'll be fine." She wants nothing more than to take a warm bath, to get rid of the acrid smoke still swirling around in her mind.

"Want me to drive you home, then?"

She fights another wave of nausea. "Okay."

They don't have far to walk to get to Raleigh's apartment, the one he shares with Yancy. While Mako sits on the wooden steps with her head in her hands, Raleigh dashes upstairs. From her perch, Mako hears him shout "I'm taking the car" as he throws open the door. Another voice, muffled from inside the second-floor apartment, replies, but Mako can't hear what he says. A minute later, Raleigh helps her to her feet and into a burgundy Toyota.

The drive to Mako's house is scenic from the passenger seat. Evergreen trees fly by, almost brushing the car as it careens down the narrow mountain road. It isn't a bad drive, either, especially since Mako is starting to feel a little better. But she can't shake how real the nightmare felt. Maybe because it was in the Drift it was more lifelike. But all she can recall are snippets, scents of destruction and burning plastic. She closes her eyes and leans against the cool window.

"Woah," Raleigh mutters under his breath. He's made it to a gravel driveway around the bend, where there's an unobstructed view of the bay tucked behind a two-story cabin. A few sailboats dot the gray sea, and the blue shores of Vancouver Island loom in the distance. "You live here?"

Sensei thankfully isn't home, but Jake is. He's kicking around a soccer ball, tossing it high in the air and catching it with his cleat, when Raleigh's car crawls into the driveway. Mako hops out, says a quick thank-you to Raleigh, and meets her twelve-year-old brother before he can get a good look at Raleigh.

"Who's that?" Jake asks, staring over her shoulder as Raleigh backs the car out of the driveway.

"A friend from school," she says, hoisting her bag over her shoulder. "I wasn't feeling well, so he offered to take me home."

"Uh-huh," Jake says, flicking his eyes between her and the taillights of Raleigh's car. "Sure, sis. We'll just pretend like a cute boy didn't drive you home. So what actually happened?"

"It was a long day," is all she says. "Is Sensei home yet?"

"Nah, dad's still at work." Jake goes back to kicking the ball in the air. "Dunno when he'll be home. Late, probably."

Mako nods, taking the hint and heading inside. But the smoke and soot linger with her well into the night, and she eventually gives up attempting to study. Sleep doesn't come easy, either, and not because Jake and Sensei are shouting downstairs.

_There's more to this nightmare, and I'm going to find out what it is._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Fanfiction Friday! I decided to post this chapter a few days early. At the rate I'm going, it will still take me forever to finish this fic, so I'll try to post something new every week. Enjoy!


	8. Some Memories Are Best Left Buried

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "La Valse a Mille Temps" by Jacques Brel  
> \- "Bare" by Wildes

**MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2018  
** **OLYMPIA HALL, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

The world is shrouded in ashy gray clouds. Cold rain pelts the black umbrellas clumped together in the small churchyard and seeps into the dull green grass. Raleigh curls his toes in his hand-me-down dress shoes, trying to keep his feet dry.

Yancy shifts the umbrella to his left hand, squeezing his little brother's shoulder with the other. It hurts, but Raleigh knows better than to complain. Not today, anyway.

Jazmine stands off to Raleigh's right, her eyes staring straight ahead and every muscle stiff. It's only when the minister delivers the final lines of the eulogy that she shudders, trying to hold back tears.

"This is why we have all come here today: to celebrate the life of Dominique Lapierre-Becket. I know that she is watching over us, her friends and her family, even on this dreary October afternoon. As we leave here today and go about the rest of our lives, let us always remember her warm smile and carefree spirit."

There's not a dry eye in the crowd. Yancy sniffs and clenches Raleigh's shoulder tighter, but even he can't hold back his tears.

Slowly, the funeral-goers leave the gravesite, muttering their condolences to the three kids huddled under one umbrella by the casket. A ghostly figure in a navy blue T-shirt and black jeans drifts toward them, too. She looks familiar, but Raleigh can't quite place her.

In that somber moment, the soothing voice of Jacques Brel floats through Raleigh's mind. It's the song Mom usually sings— _used to sing_ , he thinks, rubbing his eyes—while doing dishes or folding laundry. He can't help but hum along.

"Shut up," Jazmine mutters through clenched teeth.

"Not the time, Jaz," Yancy snaps.

The churchyard is practically empty now, save for the minister and the ghost girl. _Raleigh_ , she mouths, _can you hear me?_

He doesn't answer. Instead, he lets Yancy lead him and his sister down the muddy hill to the parking lot, where Dad said he would pick them up after the service.

But his truck is nowhere in sight.

Raleigh squirms under his brother's grip. "Yance, you're squeezing me too tight!"

"Sorry," he mutters distractedly, glancing up and down the street for any sign of their father's red pickup.

"Where's Dad?" Jazmine asks.

"He'll be here," Yancy replies, switching the umbrella to his other hand. "He's just running late."

 _Raleigh_ , a voice says, _this is just a memory. You need to snap out of it._

"Yancy, can you call him? I'm cold."

"Yeah, Jaz. Raleigh, hold this for me."

Raleigh can hear the ringing on the other end of the phone. There's Dad's voice—no, it's just his voicemail.

"Dad, it's Yancy. We're in the church parking lot waiting for you."

Five minutes pass, then ten. Fifteen minutes and six unanswered calls later, the minister walks out of the church and down to the three siblings, their black funeral clothes now soaked. Raleigh is shivering.

"Hey, kids, your father asked me to drive you home."

"Where's Dad?" Raleigh whines. "Why didn't he come?"

The minister doesn't answer.

Yancy translates the doleful look for his two younger siblings. "He's not coming back, Raleigh," he whispers, pulling his little brother closer.

 _Raleigh_ —

"What do you mean? Of course he's coming back. He has to pick us up…"

Beside him, Jazmine starts sobbing. Yancy tries to pull her close, too, but she shoves him away. Raleigh buries his face into his brother's wet dress shirt. The minister awkwardly steps around them, digging his car keys out of his raincoat.

The flood recedes, and Raleigh finds himself back in the white laboratory surrounded by scientists and psychology professors. The church in Anchorage is long gone, but Raleigh still feels like the twelve-year-old kid at his mother's funeral. He sniffs, quickly wiping tears away.

Some of the onlookers have the decency to turn away, but most ogle, no doubt curious about what had been going on in his head. While Tendo does his best to distract the audience, Newt whispers something to Raleigh—he doesn't catch what it is—and unplugs him from the Drift machines.

It takes every ounce of his self-control not to rush out of the room. Instead, he swings his rucksack over his shoulder and takes one step. Then another. Then a third.

Mako is waiting for him in the lobby. “Hey,” she says gently, laying a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

Raleigh shakes his head. "I was there, Mako. It was so real...”

She looks away, shifting her backpack to her other shoulder. “I know. I was there, too. But it was just a memory—"

“So? Doesn’t make it hurt any less.”

 _I'm only trying to help_. Mako's voice floats through his mind, and it's filled with hurt and sympathy and bitterness. Raleigh pushes his own raw emotions against hers, and he watches her face fall.

 _I don't want your pity_. He just wants to curl up in a warm blanket and shut out the whole world.

 _Okay_. Like the ghost in his memories, Mako drifts to the edges of his vision until she's out of sight. The door swings shut. And Raleigh is alone once again.

He takes one step. Then another. He follows Mako's phantom trail out of Olympia Hall, hoping to see her waiting for him outside. He'd apologize for snapping at her, for pushing her away— _she felt what you felt, you know_.

But Mako is nowhere in sight.

As the door slams behind him, he realizes whatever friendship he'd built with Mako over the last two months has just shattered in his hands.


	9. Is This Seat Taken?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Venus in Furs" by DeVotchKa  
> \- "Montauk" by Martin Lindgaarden  
> \- "飛行船 (Hikousen)" by Daichi Miura  
> \- "Clouds" by Faro

**MONDAY. DECEMBER 3, 2018**  
**A. IRVINE LIBRARY, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

The library is packed. There isn't a free table anywhere, not even in the silent reading room. Mako huffs and turns around, stalking to the other end of the library for the third time.

 _Why does everyone wait until finals to study? One week of hard work won't turn D's to A's_ , she fumes, weaving in and out of occupied tables piled high with textbooks, notebooks, and empty Red Bull cans.

She spies a free desk in the far corner of the library. _It's about time._ But before she can reach it, another student slides into the empty seat and pulls out their laptop. Mako curses a little louder than she meant to; a group of freshmen stare at her in astonishment, and a couple of sleep-deprived seniors shush her.

Mako rolls her eyes and turns back to the silent reading room. _I guess I'll go back to my usual spot. I doubt I could concentrate anywhere else._

The cavernous room is filled with ancient wooden tables and lined with bookshelves. The musty smell of first editions, the hollow ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner, the cozy amber glow of the vintage desk lamps—Mako had fallen in love with the ambiance of this place when she stumbled upon it freshman year. Unfortunately, about a hundred other students also appreciate the silent reading room during final exams. So Mako stands in a corner of the room and waits, eyeing the occupied tables like a hungry vulture.

Ten minutes pass. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees someone stand up—and leave one of the tables across the room! Mako races for the empty seat, glancing around to make sure no one else gets to it first.

She freezes when she sees who's already at the table.

Raleigh is hunched over a pile of loose pages, running his hands through his shaggy blonde hair. Highlighters and pens in a dozen different colors are scattered around his side of the table. A stack of flashcards, half-filled out, sits by his elbow.

Sighing, Mako shoulders her bag and makes her way to the table. Raleigh looks up when Mako slides into the chair across from him.

They haven't spoken in weeks. In the silent reading room, they're not about to break that streak. But a small smile flickers across Raleigh's face, and Mako relaxes a bit. Still, she pulls out her laptop to show him she's only here to study.

Neither acknowledges the other for hours. Well, at least Raleigh doesn't. Mako can't help peeking over her laptop every few minutes to see what Raleigh's doing. A pained expression crosses his face every time he looks down at the table and away from the notecards in his hand, as if he's trying to find the answers in the wood grain.

His notes, Mako notices, are filled with dates and two-sentence descriptions in scratchy handwriting. _Military history major, that's right._

Five hours into their study session, Mako feels her phone buzz. She looks down; it's a message from Raleigh. She flicks her eyes up and catches him staring at her. He gestures to her phone.

> **[RB]:** _I’m starving. Want to take a break for dinner?_

Mako glances at her phone again. It's just after seven.

She nods, and they get up together.

The walk to the student center is silent. Mako senses that neither of them wants to bring up what happened last month. Two strangers shouldn’t have to see each other at their most vulnerable, much less experience those haunting moments themselves. But not acknowledging that those experiences happened—that is just as uncomfortable.

She kicks a rock out of her way and shoves her hands in her coat pockets. _If this is how the night is going to go, I should have just stayed at the library._

They get all the way inside before Raleigh breaks the silence. “I’m going to grab a burger. Let’s meet back here, at the pillars.”

Mako nods, heading for the sandwich spot on the opposite end of the student center. Five minutes later, trays in hand, they amble to a secluded corner of the cafeteria, where a tall table and two chairs hide between a pillar and a wall. Mako had discovered this alcove only recently, and apparently so had Raleigh. Not many other students know about it. Raleigh slides into the chair on the left; Mako takes the right.

Small talk, Mako decides, is the safest conversation starter. "What are you studying for?" She asks, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"American Military History. You?"

"Thermodynamics."

Raleigh whistles. "Glad I'm not in engineering. I could barely pass calculus."

"And I couldn't be a history major. I have a hard time memorizing dates."

"Looks like we're in good company, then." Silence falls between them again, but Raleigh picks up the conversation. "So, are we ever going to talk about what happened?"

Mako sighs. "What is there to talk about? We saw each other at our weakest moments."

"Exactly. This Drift is digging up old memories—or nightmares, in your case—and they're only going to get worse unless we deal with them."

"We have been. But that Drift was traumatic for both of us. The nightmares won't just go away." Every night since their last Drift, Mako had woken up from a nightmare. Some nights she was plagued by black smoke and haunting screams. Other nights she was standing under gray skies in eerie silence. But most nights were a combination of the two.

"You're having them, too?"

Mako nods, turning back to her half-eaten sandwich to avoid his empathetic look.

"Maybe avoiding each other is making the problem worse."

This time, it's Mako who looks up and Raleigh who avoids her gaze. "I've told you, these nightmares won't just go away. It's going to take time."

"I know. But I'm tired of dealing with them alone. We've been in each other's heads, Mako. None of our other friends can say that. Not even Tendo or Yancy. Talking about what happened might not help much, but it's better than leaving it alone."

Reluctantly, Mako nods. "It's a start."

They finish eating in silence, but it's not uncomfortable this time.

The campus is dark when they step outside. The crisp, cold air slices through their clothes, so they huddle together as close as they feel comfortable. But instead of turning down the brick walkway toward the library, Raleigh turns toward the quad. Mako is grateful; she doesn't want to go back to studying just yet.

"Dad left before the funeral," Raleigh mutters, staring at the frost-covered bricks under his boots. "When Yance, Jaz, and I got back, the house was empty. Jaz left soon after. Went to live with our cousins in France." He sighs, watching his breath dance under the dark sky. "It's just been me and Yancy for the last six years. He's the only family I got left."

Mako looks down, too. "I'm sorry. That must have been hard."

Raleigh just shrugs. "Well, at least we'll be better prepared for next time we Drift."

"Ah, that won't be until next semester. With finals and, well… Newt said we needed time to recover."

They find themselves on the far end of campus, over by Olympia Hall. All but a few of the lights are on in the building. They spy Newt shrugging on a dark winter coat, arguing loudly with a professor as the doors clang shut behind them.

"Do you think the other participants have experienced anything like we have?" Mako mutters, watching the pair storm off in different directions.

Raleigh shrugs. "The only ones I know of are the Russian couple, the Kaidonovskys. But I'm sure they knew each other well before they Drifted."

"Maybe it's so difficult because we don't know each other."

"Could be." Raleigh nods his head in the direction of the library. "Wanna head back?"

"Not really. But I do want to pass this class."

Raleigh chuckles. "Me, too."

They don't say anything as they walk back to the library— _back to reality_ , Mako thinks. It's almost ten, and the stars are out. The moon glows above the trees, spilling its pearly light onto the quiet campus below. Christmas hangs in the air, and with it comes the promise of restful nights and merry mornings.

The silent reading room is nearly empty when Raleigh and Mako return, so they have no trouble finding seats. Raleigh spreads out his notes on the table, and Mako pulls up her engineering textbook on her laptop. For the next three hours, they trade reassuring smiles in between their study sessions.

At 12:45 a.m., Raleigh stands and collects his notes. "Don't stay too late," he says with a yawn. "Want me to drive you home?"

"I'm going to pull an all-nighter tonight, but thanks for the offer."

"You're going to get some sleep, though, right?"

"Maybe a quick nap. Don't worry, I do this before every test."

"Alright. Let me know how your exam goes tomorrow."

Mako smiles. "You, too. Goodnight, Raleigh."

He gives her a thumbs-up before sauntering out of the now-empty silent reading room. The grandfather clock ticks loudly, and Mako's keystrokes echo throughout the room. Her phone buzzes on the table, and she nearly jumps out of her skin.

> **[RB]:** _After finals are over, we should hang out more often._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Yes! I hate being stuck at home. We can meet for coffee and I can teach you some Japanese._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Sounds like a plan. I won't distract you anymore. Good luck with finals!_
> 
> **[MM]:** _You, too. Sleep well._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Oh, I will._

Around 3:45 a.m., Mako nods off. A couple of hours later, she wakes up groggy but grinning. Whether it's because of sheer exhaustion or sleep deprivation, she doesn't know, but after 28 long nights, she's finally had a dreamless sleep.


	10. Merry Christmas, Mako

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams  
> \- "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee  
> \- "Sleigh Ride" by Ella Fitzgerald  
> \- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland

**TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2018**  
**THE BECKET BROTHERS' APARTMENT**

 

"Hey, kid!" _Thwump._

Raleigh bolts up, half-asleep. "Yance, wha—?"

 _Thwump._ Yancy smacks him in the face again with a pillow. "C'mon, Rals, it's Christmas. Get up!"

"What time's it?" Raleigh mutters, rubbing his eyes and swinging his feet over the bed.

"Almost ten. What, did you have another late night last night?"

"Couldn't sleep," he yawns, snatching his phone off his nightstand. He sees Yancy wind up for another swing at him with the pillow, and he holds up his hands. "Okay, okay, I'm up!"

"Alright, but I'm giving you five minutes before I eat breakfast without you."

"Yeah, yeah." Raleigh waits until Yancy is out of sight before pulling up his messages. He and Mako had stayed up all night texting. Determined to have the last word, he'd kept himself up past one waiting for her response, only to fall asleep just five minutes before she sent her last text:

> **[MM]:** _メリークリスマス. Merry Christmas, Raleigh._

He grins, typing out a reply:

> **[RB]:** _Merry Christmas, Mako!_

After throwing on a clean T-shirt and sweatpants, he follows the smell of pancakes and bacon to the kitchen. A feast fit for a king is waiting for him: fluffy chocolate chip pancakes covered in Reddi-wip, two plates piled high with bacon and sausage, two chipped Christmas cups filled with orange juice, and a huge omelet for each of them.

Yancy rips open the curtains, bathing the room in white light from the winter wonderland outside. The Christmas tree twinkling in the window almost looks real against the backdrop of snow.

Raleigh plops down in his seat, shoveling pancakes on his plate and drenching them with syrup— _the real stuff_ , he realizes as he takes a bite. "Oh man, Yance, these are the best pancakes you've ever made."

"They better be, I spent all morning making them." He takes his spot across from Raleigh and rakes half of the bacon onto his plate, mixing it with his scrambled eggs. They chow down in silence, listening to Andy Williams croon "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as the yule log burns on the TV screen.

Raleigh decides to be nice and clear the table, rinsing the pots and pans in the sink and sticking everything in the dishwasher. Yancy grabs a half-empty carton of eggnog from the fridge and pours them both generous glasses. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" starts playing as the brothers slump into the couch.

Yancy is the first to emerge from his food coma. Reaching under the tree, he shoves a huge, heavy box wrapped in shiny red paper into his younger brother’s hands. “Merry Christmas, Raleigh!”

Raleigh grins, setting aside the box and digging under the tree for a rectangular box, more crudely wrapped in brown paper. "Back at you, bro."

There’s a scuffling as they tear open their gifts, toss the wrapping paper across the room, and yank open the flaps on the cardboard boxes.

"Yancy, wow." Inside Raleigh's box is a sleek black hiking backpack, the one he'd been eyeing on Amazon for months but hadn't been able to buy yet. "Thank you!" He pulls it out carefully and tries it on—it fits like a glove.

"You did good, kid." Yancy's standing up, modeling the leather jacket Raleigh had picked out for him. "How do I look?"

"Awful," Raleigh chuckles, dodging the wad of wrapping paper Yancy throws at him. "Merry Christmas, Yancy. Got any more of that eggnog?"

"Nah, we just ran out. Wanna get some more? I'm pretty sure the convenience store is open."

They don't bother changing out of their pajamas. Instead, they shrug on their coats—Yancy puts his on over his leather jacket—and lace up their boots. The car is buried under a six-inch blanket of snow, so Yancy starts it up and cranks the defrost all the way up.

A minute into cleaning off the car, Raleigh throws the first snowball.

"Oh, it's on," Yance says, lobbing a handful of fresh powder in Raleigh's face. "Loser buys!"

Yancy ducks behind the car to avoid a revenge throw from Raleigh, who doesn't manage to avoid the next volley, this time from the side. Raleigh scrapes some of the snow off the pavement and throws it into the air, getting some on himself as well as his brother. The snowball fight ends with Yancy tackling Raleigh to the ground and shoving a handful of snow down his jacket.

"Hey!" Raleigh protests, but he's grinning from ear to ear. Yancy gets to his feet, making a show of brushing his gloves off.

"You're buying, kid. Let's go get that eggnog," he says, helping Raleigh to his feet. Yancy slides into the driver's seat and Raleigh takes the passenger side, and they plow through the snow drifts on the way out of their neighborhood.

It takes them an hour to find a convenience store that's open on Christmas and another hour to find one that hasn't run out of eggnog. By the time they get home—at almost three—they're red in the face from the cold. The four cartons that Raleigh bought are nearly gone by the time six o'clock rolls around.

Dinner isn't nearly as glamorous as breakfast, but it's just as good. While waiting for their frozen pizza to cook, Yancy cracks open the worn DVD case of "A Christmas Story" and puts the movie on. After watching it every Christmas since he was a kid, Raleigh has the movie memorized, so he lays down on the couch and checks his Instagram.

Mako's face is the first image he sees on his newsfeed. She's smiling, her blue hair tucked behind her ears. Behind her in front of their Christmas tree is the kid Raleigh recognizes as Mako's brother. A commanding-looking man stands stoically on the opposite side of the frame— _must be her adopted father_. In the middle, a grinning red-headed woman throws her arms over their shoulders. "Merry Christmas from the Pentecosts and Tam! Wishing Aunt Luna were here with us," the caption reads.

Raleigh shoots Mako a text before going back to his feed:

> **[RB]:** _How's your Christmas?_

His old high school friends from Anchorage are all over the map: One is posing with his girlfriend at a ski resort in Colorado, another sits with his extended family around the dinner table, and another is sipping a pint of beer at an English tavern—"When you're legal to drink in another country, you do it right." Raleigh can't help but feel jealous.

A message drops down on Raleigh's screen, and he pulls it up:

> **[MM]:** _Good! We slept in this morning and opened presents around noon. Tam, Sensei's co-pilot, is staying with us, which is always enjoyable. It's like having a sister around. How was your day?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Yance didn't let me sleep in, so we had breakfast and opened presents fairly early. Then we ran out of eggnog, so we went to go get some. It took us two hours to find a place that had it._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Oh, and we had a snowball fight, which I may or may not have won._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Don't lie, Raleigh. I know Yancy got you good._
> 
> **[RB]:** _… Yeah, he did. Sometimes I hate how you can see right through me. Did Jake and your dad get along today?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Yes, they seemed to put aside their differences for the sake of the holiday._

"Who're you texting?" Yancy asks, throwing a small wad of wrapping paper at him.

"Friend from school," Raleigh mutters, typing out a reply:

> **[RB]:** _That's nice of them._

"Is that the girl you partnered with for that experiment?"

"Maybe."

"You got lucky. My partner was awful."

"What?" Raleigh sits up. "You never told me you signed up!"

> **[RB]** : _BREAKING NEWS: My brother Drifted with someone and didn't tell me. I'm getting the details out of him now._

"Yeah, well, after you said I could get fifty bucks out of it, I thought, 'why not?' I could use the cash. But they paired me with some rugby jock, the cockiest S.O.B. I've ever met in my life—second to you, of course."

"Oh, please."

"I'm just pissed you never told me how jarring it would be."

"I told you it had side effects, right?" Raleigh's phone buzzes in his hand, and he looks down:

> **[MM]:** _Seriously? Maybe he and his partner went through a similar situation we did._
> 
> **[RB]:**   _Yancy said it was awful. I don't think he and his partner are gonna want to talk about it._

"I was right about the reading minds part, though," Yancy says, getting up to pour himself another glass of eggnog. On the TV, Ralphie is begging Santa for his dream Christmas present: _I want an official Red Ryder carbine-action two-hundred-shot range model air rifle!_ Raleigh and Yancy mouth Santa's next words effortlessly: _You'll shoot your eye out, kid._

"Yeah?"

"I woke up that next morning with a migraine and a bunch of rugby plays running through my head." He chuckles. "I sure hope that kid got some of my ROTC drills stuck in his head. He needs to learn some discipline."

"Anyone I'd know?"

"Probably not, unless you hang out with the rugby team. He had a pretentious name though—maybe Charles? The dude's Australian."

Raleigh shrugs. "Did you Drift again?"

Yancy laughs. "No way. And besides, I wouldn't want to Drift with that guy in a million years."

"Huh."

"What?"

"Mako and I were asked to come back. We've Drifted three times now."

"Yeah? You two must have hit it off really well." He gives his brother a playful shove.

"Shut up. And we're just friends."

Yancy just stares cheekily over his half-full glass of eggnog. When Raleigh turns back to his phone, Yancy turns his attention back to the movie.

> **[RB]:** _Newt did not ask them back. So it looks like we're still on our own. Our connection must be pretty rare._
> 
> **[MM]:** _I guess you're right._

The last few minutes of the movie are the best, so Raleigh sets his phone down until it's over. He and Yancy quote the whole thing, inflections and all. When the credits scroll over the Parker family's snow-covered suburban home, Yancy pops out the DVD and replaces it with another Becket brother tradition: "It's a Wonderful Life."

They pass out on the couch before the movie is ten minutes in. Raleigh wakes up just as George reunites with his family, and he sees a text message from Mako on his phone screen:

> **[MM]:** _Good night, Raleigh. I'm glad you had a good Christmas._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Night, Mako. Hey, if you’re not doing anything tomorrow, can we Skype? I wanna learn some more Japanese._
> 
> **[MM]:** _オッケー_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Great! Talk to you tomorrow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might not be December, but it's never too early for a happy Christmas fic. Enjoy!


	11. Happy New Year, Raleigh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Shakey Ground" by The Temptations  
> \- "Auld Lang Syne" by Bing Crosby  
> \- "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" by Deeper Subline and Eriq Johnson  
> \- "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" by Aretha Franklin

**MONDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2018**  
**THE PENTECOSTS' HOUSE**

 

Of all the school holidays, Christmas break is by far Mako's favorite. For three whole weeks, she can spend all of her free time designing and building different machines, not poring over textbooks that explain how those machines work. And unlike summer break, when her routine revolves around her latest internship, winter break brings Tamsin Sevier to spice things up.

It's New Year's Eve, and Mako is holed up in her room working on her latest project. She's grooving to The Temptations, soldering wires and circuit components in time with the music. She's so focused that she doesn't hear the knock on her door. Or the next two.

"Yo, Mako," Jake says, poking his head into her room. "C'mon downstairs. It's almost midnight."

"Coming," she says, pausing her playlist and setting her half-finished circuit board down gingerly. She follows Jake downstairs to find Sensei and Tam stretched out on the leather sofa, a bowl full of chips and a couple of beers sitting on the table in front of them. Jake flops back into his armchair on the other side of the room. Mako sits on the arm of the sofa next to Tam.

"Hey, Mako," Tam pipes up, her words slurring ever so slightly. "Was wondering when you were going to come down. Whatchya working on upstairs?"

"A prototype for our next competition. We need to step up our game if we want to qualify for worlds."

"Your next scrimmage is in February, right?"

Mako nods. "I'm testing out some new designs—and the tinkering set Jake got me."

Jake looks up, his mouth full of chips. "Whazzup?"

She laughs. "I'm putting your Christmas gift to good use."

"Oh, m'kay." He reaches for another handful of chips, gluing his eyes to the TV. One one side of the screen, Ryan Seacrest interviews shivering tourists in Times Square. Some pop star takes the stage on the other screen. The countdown to midnight ticks away in the corner.

"What have you been doing all day?" Mako asks, directing her question at Sensei. He's also entranced by the performance, so Tam elbows him.

"Hm?" He turns from the TV to Tam, who nods her head in Mako's direction. "Oh. We spent most of the afternoon making cookies for the neighbors. There are some left in the fridge—help yourself."

"Are these your famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies?" Mako asks, turning to Tam.

"Yep!"

"You know I can't resist those." Mako hops up and heads to the fridge, picking up a couple of the biggest cookies from the pile. "Who wants cookies?" She calls over her shoulder.

"I think I speak for me and Stacks—we had way too many this afternoon!"

"Jake? Do you want any cookies?"

"Sure!"

Mako hands her brother three cookies wrapped in a napkin, and she takes her spot by Tam again. The entire family fixates on the neon lights and ticking clock on screen. The new year is only seconds away.

"Mako, Jake, look," Sensei says, getting to his feet. "They're counting down now. Ten, nine, eight—"

Tam rises, too, grabbing both of their beers. "—seven, six, five—"

Jake joins in. "—four, three, two—"

"—one, Happy New Year!" Mako cheers with the rest of her family, taking a swig of Tam's beer while Sensei is belting out "Auld Lang Syne." (She figures out very quickly that she hates the stuff.) Tam laughs as Mako stuffs a cookie in her mouth to get rid of the taste.

“So,” Tam says, flopping back onto the couch and fixing her green eyes on Mako. “It’s a new year. What do you wanna do in 2019?”

Mako stares down at her phone while she tries to come up with an answer. A text is waiting for her:

> **[RB]:** _Happy New Year, Mako!_

"I want to take our team to worlds and win."

"Of course, but what do you really want? More than anything?"

> **[MM]:** _Thanks, Raleigh. Happy New Year to you, too._

"Well, I always wanted to visit Tokyo. I have some money in savings, but I don't think I'll have time to go this summer. Maybe next year."

"Tokyo, huh?"

Mako nods.

"What's there?"

 _Answers_ , she thinks. "There are a lot of tech companies there. I want to see what options I have after college. And there are a lot of museums and attractions, too."

"Well, keep on saving up, kiddo. You'll get there in no time."

Mako smiles, leaning her head on Tam's shoulder. Sleepiness settles over her in an instant, but she doesn't feel like trekking upstairs to bed. The leather couch feels good against her back; she hadn't realized how much she had been hunching over her desk. But when Jake and Sensei's conversation escalates into an argument, that's when Mako excuses herself from the living room. Tam is right behind her. No one, not even his co-pilot, can pull Stacker Pentecost away from a fight.

For a few minutes, Mako stands in the middle of her room with her hands on her hips. On the right side of her room, her unfinished project sits on her walnut desk and gleams under the desk lamp. On the left side, her soft bed beckons. Mako stifles a yawn, her mind made up. She resumes her soul playlist, letting Aretha Franklin's voice wash over her for the next two hours as she tinkers.

It's nearly two when she pulls herself away from her work, shuts off her lights, and crawls into bed. Her phone starts buzzing just seconds after she shuts her eyes.

> **[RB]:** _Now i know why you texted me af_
> 
> **[RB]:** _ter your robotics thing_
> 
> **[RB]:** _This drive is awful_
> 
> **[RB]:** _A whole two hours of yance yapping his gums_

Mako smirks. She sits up in bed and types out a reply:

> **[MM]:** _I bet it's even worse in the dark._

Raleigh answers immediately:

> **[RB]:** _Mako you have no idea_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Its just like your nightmare but less smoke and screaming_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Well yance is screaming but thats what he calls singing_
> 
> **[RB]:** _btw we still havent really talked bout what happened_
> 
> **[RB]:** _But youre my best friend so i wont bug you_

Mako almost stops breathing. _He considers me his best friend? I knew we were close, but not that close._ Another thought rushes through her mind, one she almost doesn't want to ask Raleigh about. But curiosity gets the best of her.

> **[MM]:** _Are you drunk?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Ohhhhh yeah_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Yance and i went bar hopping in port angeles_
> 
> **[MM]:** _It sounds like you had fun._
> 
> **[RB]:** _I'm going to be so hungover tomorrow… or today i guess_
> 
> **[RB]:** _And maybe the next couple of days if im being honest_
> 
> **[RB]:** _But i wanna talk to you soon_
> 
> **[RB]:** _I miss you a lot_

She feels blush creep up her face and the world starts to spin. Then again, it's almost three in the morning. Exhaustion makes anyone delusional.

> **[MM]:** _Aw, you miss me?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Its been like a whole month_
> 
> **[RB]:** _I thought i was gonna die that time we werent talking_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Me, too. What were we thinking?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _We were too scared i guess_
> 
> **[RB]:** _So next time lets just stlaksjf_

That's his last text for the next ten minutes. At first, Mako thinks he passed out while typing a message— _how sweet_ —but as her alarm clock ticks away, she's not so sure.

> **[MM]:** _Raleigh? You okay?_

Finally, she gets a reply:

> **[RB]:** _Yeah im good_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Yance hit an ice patch_
> 
> **[RB]:** _We had to push the car back on the road_
> 
> **[MM]:** _He's not driving drunk, is he?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Nah he sobered up good_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Its just icy all down here_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Well, text me when you get home, okay? I'm going to bed. It's almost 3 a.m._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Will do_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Night Mako_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Goodnight, Raleigh. Get home safe._

—————

Mako wakes up to her fourth alarm and sunlight creeping through her blinds. She grabs her phone, relieved when she sees a text from Raleigh—sent at 4:15 a.m. _He'll be out most of the day_ , she thinks, smirking.

Tam is cooking breakfast when Mako tiptoes downstairs with a cup of tea in hand. The smell of bacon, sausage, pancakes, and coffee wafts through the house. The floorboards are frigid, and Mako is glad she put on her thickest socks last night.

"Morning, kiddo," Tam says over her shoulder. "Sleep well?"

"Mhm. Did you?"

"I turned in just after midnight. I'm getting old—I can't stay up late anymore."

"But it looks like you got up early," Mako says, taking a look at the breakfast feast piled on plates all over the counters.

"I've been up for a couple of hours. The pullout couch upstairs isn't all that comfortable."

Mako nods and sips her tea. "You know you can always take my bed for the night," she says, knowing full well that Tam would refuse. Like always.

"I know. Stacks said the same. But why break a tradition now?" She chuckles and flips a pancake over in the skillet. "Well, I shouldn't be complaining. After all, I lived to see another day—and another year."

"I'm glad you chose to spend it with us," Mako says, hopping up onto the counter. "When is your next doctor's appointment?"

"Not 'til March. But I haven't been feeling under the weather or anything. I'll enjoy as many healthy days as I can get."

A door creaks upstairs, and Sensei lumbers down to the kitchen. He's already dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, which he's tucked into his waistband. "You're up early," he says to Tam and Mako, reaching for a piece of bacon on one of the plates nearby. Tam smacks him on the hand.

"Hey, now. Breakfast is almost ready. Mako, go get Jake for me, 'kay?"

Mako nods and jogs upstairs, knocking a few times on the door at the end of the hall. "Jake, breakfast is ready!"

She hears a grunt from behind the door and a _whump_ as her brother's feet hit the floor. "'Kay, coming," he mutters.

When Mako gets back downstairs, she finds Sensei sipping coffee and leaning against the counter while Tam scoops the pancakes onto a plate. Mako grabs the plate from her and sits it on the table. Sensei takes the bacon and sausage—sneakily snagging a piece of each before the plate reaches the table. They take their usual places at the round table in the breakfast nook, which overlooks the bay and Vancouver Island beyond. A blanket of snow covers the ground.

Jake jogs down the stairs a few minutes later, still wearing his Star Wars pajamas, and takes his seat between Mako and Tam. With snow falling outside and warm food on the table, the scene reminds Mako of a Norman Rockwell painting. She savors every sweet moment as she digs in to her breakfast.

—————

There's a message blinking on Mako's phone screen when she returns to her room:

> **[RB]:** _I hope I didn't keep you up last night._

_So much for him sleeping in,_ Mako thinks, smiling to herself. She sends a message back:

> **[MM]:** _You didn't. I was up late anyway._
> 
> **[RB]:** _New mech design?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _You know me so well. What happened to that days-long hangover you were talking about?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _What?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _Look back through your messages._

It takes him five whole minutes to respond.

> **[RB]:** _Oh, wow. I was really drunk..._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Any regrets?_
> 
> **[RB]:** _Yeah, all those shots I did with Yancy. I don't want to step into another bar anytime soon._
> 
> **[MM]:** _I mean about what you said._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Maybe sending you that text just before Yancy ran off the road—which was pretty scary, now that I think about it. Why?_
> 
> **[MM]:** _So you do consider us best friends… and you want to talk more often._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Absolutely. But I know how you feel about this whole Drift connection thing. I can give you space if you need it._
> 
> **[MM]:** _No! No, I would like to have a best friend. Besides Jake and Tam, I'm not close to anyone else._
> 
> **[RB]:** _Well that settles it, then. I'll see you Monday after class. Now I'm going to go back to sleep._
> 
> **[MM]:** _Sleep well!_

Mako lays her phone on her nightstand and flops onto her bed. Now she has more than robotics club meetings to look forward to when classes start. She realizes she's grinning at the ceiling when Jake pops his head through her doorway.

"Hey, Mako," he says, "what's say you, me, and Tam all have a snowball fight outside? Tam's gone to get Dad, so we can ambush them if we're quick."

Her grin grows wider. "Absolutely."


	12. You Can't Fight a Hurricane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Ocean" by Martin Garrix and Khalid  
> \- "Shinwa Houkai" by Hello Sleepwalkers (the metal song Raleigh was talking about)  
> \- "愛唄 (Ai Uta)" by GReeeeN  
> \- "Lady Funky" by Misia  
> \- "Only Wonder" by Frederic  
> \- "Golden" by Parade of Lights

**MONDAY, APRIL 8, 2019**  
**BEACHAM STUDENT CENTER, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

The semester is almost over before Raleigh realizes it. While the end of the academic year means summer is in arm's reach—and with it comes a break from the flurry of tests, group projects, and homework—it also means a break from Mako. They'd been spending all of their free time together at their secluded spot in the student center, ditching the library's silent reading room for all but their most serious study sessions.

All that time together had paid off. Their last Drift was their best yet, impressing Dr. Lightcap so much that she'd asked them to come back for more tests in the fall. That wasn't the only victory that semester: Mako and her team had won their regional and state robotics competitions and were headed to the Robotics World Championship in Kentucky at the end of April.

Today finds them at their usual spot after dinnertime. The students that had flooded the food court and snatched every available seat a couple of hours before are slowly trickling out into the night, presumably to enjoy the warm weather that had settled over the Olympic Peninsula overnight. Raleigh hopes the weather stays nice through the weekend. He's dying to go to Shi Shi Beach again.

"Aren't you going to study for your test on Wednesday?" Mako asks, nibbling on a few fries she'd snagged from Raleigh's tray. Her engineering textbook and notes take up most of the table.

"I feel like I've done nothing but study," he replies, leaning back in the green plastic chair. "I'm beat. Senioritis is hitting me hard."

"But you're a junior."

"Exactly." Raleigh runs his fingers through his hair and gazes around the student center. _Taking an hour break can't hurt._

"Just make sure that hour doesn't turn into the whole night."

"I hate it when you read my mind."

Mako smirks. "Maybe we shouldn't Drift anymore, then."

Raleigh responds by sticking out his tongue. He resumes people-watching once Mako turns her attention back to her textbook. After eight o'clock, there aren't many students left in the food court, so it's fairly easy to spot a familiar figure wearing a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "Hey, isn't that Newt?"

Mako follows his gaze to the pizza spot. "Is that Dr. Gottlieb with him?"

Sure enough, Newt's colleague—or rival, Raleigh can't tell—is red in the face and gesticulating wildly. "Wonder what they're arguing about."

 _We don't have to wonder._ "They're coming this way," she hisses, peeking out from behind the pillar to catch bits of their conversation.

"—I'm telling you, Hermann, this could work with anyone once we find a way to determine compatibility—"

"Newton, how many times have I told you not to call me that in public? And do you know how long it would take to develop an algorithm like that? We simply don't have the time or resources—"

"Which is why if we start now," Newt lowers his voice, "then we can have something to show Dr. Lightcap before the summit. We can start with the data we've got and apply it to the pairs we've been testing—"

Raleigh and Mako glance at each other. _Us_ , they think. Just a few yards from their table, they hear Dr. Gottlieb sigh.

"You're so desperate to be right. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't think you were onto something. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot of work to do."

Dr. Gottlieb stalks away, leaving Newt standing in the middle of the student center holding his tray of greasy pizza. Raleigh and Mako hold their breath as Newt peers around the almost-empty student center. After an eternity, he turns back toward the food court and plops down at an empty table for two.

Raleigh breaks the silence. "What do you think that means for us?"

"Probably more tests. I think he was talking about us specifically."

"Yeah, me too. Based on what Yancy told me about his Drift, I think our connection is unusually strong."

 _Why?_ Not a second after that thought slipped out, a wave of embarrassment moves from Mako's mind to Raleigh's.

"What?"

"It's nothing, just—"

"No, I know it's not. We agreed not to hide things from each other. So what's up?"

It takes Mako a minute to gather her thoughts. When she pulls her attention away from her textbook, her blue hair streaks frame her pensive expression. "We can Drift fine, but other strangers can't. There has to be a reason."

"Maybe we're both wired the right way."

"But how? Is it something in our genetic code? Our upbringing? Our shared experiences?"

"I think that's what Newt and Dr. Gottlieb want to figure out. All I know is that it's rough Drifting with a stranger—or with anyone, I'd imagine—but it's harder being away from you. Like I told you, that whole month we weren't talking was torture."

Mako's next words are so soft that Raleigh almost doesn't hear them. "Do you think it's fate, or just a coincidence?"

"Our connection?"

She nods.

"What do you hope it is?"

"I don't know," she says after a minute.

"Me, either." He sighs. "But whatever it is, we're stuck with it. It feels like being caught in a hurricane—you can't fight it, so you can only go where it takes you."

Mako smirks, but Raleigh can sense a storm of doubt churning behind her brown eyes. _No, you've got enough on your plate between school and worlds._ He sets his chair back on the floor and leans over the table so they're nose to nose.

"Hey, it's okay not to have everything figured out. We'll know by the time Newt and Dr. Gottlieb throw us those tests in our next Drift."

"If you say so," Mako says. She sighs and sits back, flipping her textbook closed. "I'm too distracted to study anymore. I'm done for the night."

Raleigh grins. "Then I've got an idea."

"Uh-oh."

"Do you have a curfew?"

"I usually go to bed around eleven—"

"But do you need to be back by a certain time? I know your first class tomorrow is at 10:15."

"... no."

"Then pack your stuff, we're going for a drive."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. But you'll like it, I promise!"

Mako reluctantly files her notes away and shrugs on her backpack, but Raleigh can feel her excitement and anticipation. He leads her across campus and up to his and Yancy's apartment.

"This won't take long," he says, stepping inside. "Come on in." While Mako stands awkwardly in the entryway, Raleigh rummages through the cabinets. "What kind of snacks do you like?" He pulls down a bag of his favorite chips and grabs a couple of sodas from the fridge.

"Uh—"

"Rals, what're you doing?" Yancy mutters, shuffling out of his room.

"Study break," Raleigh replies, shoving some snacks into his rucksack. "Hey, where are the car keys?"

Yancy yawns and points to the far end of the counter. "Where you going?"

"We're just gonna drive around."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Oh, right." Raleigh motions to Mako in the corner. "Yancy, Mako. Mako, Yancy."

"Mako, huh?" Yancy strides over and shakes her hand. "Weren't you two partners for that science experiment?"

"Yes. Raleigh told me you tried it, too?"

"Tried, yeah. After that first test, though…" Yancy shakes his head. "I'm glad it worked out for you two. Are you still part of the study?"

"Yep," Raleigh calls from the other side of the kitchen, trying to save Mako from the small talk. "They want us to come back in the fall. This'll be, what, our fifth one?" He looks to Mako for confirmation; she nods.

Yancy whistles. "Looks like you finally found something you're good at, kid."

"What, military history doesn't count?"

"Whatever. You two have fun. I'm going back to bed. Got an early morning tomorrow."

"Alright. 'Night, Yance." Raleigh snags the keys from under a stack of mail. "Ready?"

"At least give me a hint about where we're headed," Mako says, following Raleigh out the door.

Raleigh grins. "Pull up your favorite playlist—we'll be in the car for about an hour."

"Hm," she mutters, hopping into the passenger seat of the RAV4 and scrolling through her music. Raleigh senses the gears turning in her mind as she tries to figure out where they're headed.

A few minutes later, Mako grabs the aux cord and a bag of pretzels Raleigh brought along for the trip. Suddenly, an electric guitar riff and fast drum beats blast through the speakers, and Raleigh jumps in his seat. Mako doubles over with laughter.

"That's payback for not telling me where we're going," Mako says, smirking.

"Didn't pick you for a metal fan," Raleigh says once he recovers from the shock. "You're full of surprises, Mako Mori."

She shrugs. "I listen to music like this when I'm working on new mechs. It keeps me focused."

"I don't know how," Raleigh murmurs, clenching the steering wheel. The next song is much slower, and he relaxes. "Now this is the kind of music I could listen to."

"I thought so. I included some of your favorite songs on here, too."

"Yeah? Do you still listen to that playlist I made you?"

"Every time I study. Aretha Franklin's voice is so calming."

"She was a wonderful singer. Hey, pass me the chips, will you?"

Mako hands him the bag of salt and vinegar chips and goes back to munching on her pretzels. "I wish it was a little brighter outside," she mutters, staring out the window. "This area is beautiful."

An hour and more than a dozen songs later, Raleigh pulls off to the side of the road and cuts the engine. "We're here," he says, gently shaking Mako awake. "Come on, you'll want to see this."

"Where are we?" She asks with a yawn.

"You'll see." He leads her down a trail flanked by massive evergreen trees. The sound of crashing waves grows louder with each step. "Can you guess where we are?"

Mako shakes her head in the darkness. "No idea. Wait—is that a fire in the distance?"

"Probably. This place is a popular camping spot."

A few minutes later, they emerge onto a sandy beach. The surf glows in the moonlight, and a cold breeze sends the campfires dancing. Mako shivers despite wearing a sweater and a jacket; Raleigh throws his arm around her and leads her to a fallen tree trunk on the edge of the shore. Colorful tents dot the beach in both directions.

"Welcome to Shi Shi Beach," Raleigh says.

"It's incredible."

"Told you. I came out here the day you went to that competition in Port Angeles. Think I spent a couple of hours just sitting here."

Silence falls between them as they sit back, appreciating the sound of the crashing waves and distant crackling fires. With the two of them huddled together under Raleigh's coat, they don't feel the cold. They sit like that for what feels like hours.

Mako breaks the silence first. "This was a surprise worth waiting for."

"I'm glad you came along for the ride. I need to spend as much time with my best friend as I can get." Worries about spending summer without Mako bubble up, but Mako's calming thoughts push them down.

"We'll make it work," she says, resting her head on his shoulder. "Besides, we'll be back in the fall. This isn't goodbye."

 _Now that's a comforting thought._ Raleigh sighs and throws his arm around her, pulling her closer. _It looks like this is the distraction we both needed._


	13. What Happens Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER SOUNDTRACK:  
> \- "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar  
> \- "Jupiter" by Gustav Holst  
> \- "Beautiful Now: Big Gigantic Remix" by Zedd and Jon Bellion

**SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019**  
**KEYES COLISEUM, PACIFIC RIM UNIVERSITY**

 

A sea of students file into the basketball stadium, their black gowns trailing in their wake. From their seats in the second to last row, high above the court, Mako and Raleigh can't see Yancy amid the crowd. The band below plays a grand ballad as the graduates stride down the red carpet. The music resonates through the rafters a full minute after the conductor lowers his baton. Mako recognizes the tune from her high school graduation, and she smiles wistfully.

"Thanks for coming with me," Raleigh murmurs as the president begins his speech.

"Of course. I wouldn't leave you by yourself. Besides, I needed to get out of the house."

Raleigh nods. He doesn't have to read her mind to know why. "What'll you do when I graduate next year?" He teases, elbowing her in the ribs.

She smirks. "I won't come out of spite."

Raleigh shakes his head and turns his attention back to the crowd below. A minute later he spies a familiar face. "There's Yancy. Do you think he can see us from way up here?"

"I doubt it." She debates waving to get his attention, but Raleigh doesn't. She yanks his arms down. "You're embarrassing," she hisses, but she’s unable to hide her smile.

Around them, several parents and their kids turn to stare, the former with annoyance and the latter with amusement. Mako slinks in her seat, blush creeping over her face. As a result, Raleigh's face turns pink, too. The pair lock eyes and trade mischievous grins, keeping it together for no more than a few minutes. The standing ovation following the president's speech drowns out their giggling. When they sit back down, Raleigh sighs and throws his arm around Mako.

 _This feels familiar_ , Mako thinks, contentment washing over her. Raleigh looks down at her and smiles, no doubt remembering their spontaneous trip to Shi Shi Beach, too. A second later, though, uneasiness ebbs from his mind to hers. "What's wrong?"

"Yancy ships out to Vancouver Island tomorrow," Raleigh mutters, keeping his eyes on his older brother in the center of the crowd. "I know he won't be that far, but this is the only time we've been apart more than a few days."

Mako squeezes his hand. "It's going to be okay. You could Skype every night. And at least he'll only be a few miles away, even if he is in another country."

"Yeah, that's true." He watches the next speaker rise from her seat and take her place at the podium. "I was thinking about enlisting in that program next year, too. I haven't thought it through, though. It's always been me and Yance, just the two of us against the world."

Mako nods knowingly. Her mind takes her back to the Drift she shared with Raleigh, of the rainy Saturday afternoon in Anchorage.

"I've got a year to think about it. I'll figure something out."

"At least we have more Drifts to look forward to next semester," Mako says. "Summer is going to be rough, though. I'll be in Seattle for my internship, so I won't be able to see my family for a few months."

"What am I, chopped liver?" Raleigh asks—a little too loudly. The older couple in front of them turns around to shush him. Mako snickers.

"You know I'll miss you. You're my best friend."

"Good. We'll have to Skype every night. When do you leave?"

"Next Thursday."

"So we have a week and a half to hang out. Let's go hiking. I've been dying to visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve."

"I know you have. It's on your bucket list."

"You in?"

"I'd love to go. But based on all the packing I still have to do, I might not be able to."

Raleigh's face falls.

"What about a place a little closer to home? How about that spot you were telling me about last year—was it Cape Flattery?"

That cheers him up a little. "Let's do it!"

Just then, the speaker instructs all of the military science majors to stand. "That's Yancy down there," Raleigh says. He and Mako jump to their feet and cheer—

"Please hold all applause until the end of the ceremony," the speaker admonishes, probably for the fourth time that morning. Raleigh and Mako slink into their chairs again, snickering as nearly every eye in the coliseum turns toward the source of the latest distraction.

"Oops," Mako says, eyeing Raleigh. He's grinning from ear to ear and swiping tears from his eyes, and it's all she can do not to start laughing with him. Luckily she has some semblance of self-control.

A few minutes later, the last of the college grads stand up and sit back down with their classmates. The valedictorian then takes the stage to deliver a generic speech about achieving goals and making dreams come true. Mako yawns. All those late nights tinkering with her latest mech design are finally catching up with her. She pulls her knees to her chest and rests her head on Raleigh's right shoulder, failing to stop herself from nodding off.

It feels like only seconds have gone by, but when Raleigh nudges her awake, the ceremony is over. The band is playing another soulful song—one Mako doesn't recognize—and everyone is applauding as the graduates glide out of the coliseum.

Mako yawns and uncurls from her seat, taking her time to stand up. With all the parents and siblings in attendance now converging on the staircases, they aren't going anywhere for awhile.

"Have a good nap?" Raleigh asks, stretching. "You missed an amazing speech."

"That's okay. I’m sure I’ll hear it next year.”

"We'll have to text each other during my graduation. This was the most fun I've ever had at one of these things. I think I broke a rib laughing so hard."

"If Yancy can come, I'll make sure we cheer when you stand up."

Raleigh doubles over with laughter. "Did you see everyone's faces?" He cackles. "They looked so pissed when we did that!"

"I think the kids loved it. They looked as bored as we felt." Mako yawns again, gazing around the coliseum as the crowd thins out. A group of people wearing neon Event Staff T-shirts are already putting the chairs away and rolling up the red carpet to clear off the basketball court. "I think this is only the second time I've been in here," she muses.

"Not a basketball fan, huh?"

She shrugs. "I'm always studying or going to robotics club meetings"

"Well, we'll have to add 'go to a basketball game' to your bucket list," Raleigh says, getting to his feet and pulling Mako out of her seat. "Let's go find Yancy."

"Sure. You're my ride, after all."

They follow the stragglers down three flights of stairs to the main concourse, where hundreds of black-clad graduates and their families are mingling together. Mako senses Raleigh's longing after they pass a proud couple taking pictures with their son. She takes Raleigh's hand, and he gives her a small smile.

When they finally find Yancy, he's standing off to the side with a few people dressed in military attire. Raleigh shouts his name, and Yancy tackles him in a bear hug.

"Congrats, Yance," Raleigh says, patting his older brother on the back. "How does it feel to be an old man?"

"I'm not old yet," Yancy replies, pulling Raleigh into a headlock. Their sibling rivalry is fun to watch, and Mako finds herself almost crying with laughter. "Oh, hey, Mako," Yancy says, looking up. "Nice to see you again."

"Likewise. Congratulations—Raleigh tells me you're enlisting."

"Yep. I head out tomorrow morning. You'll look after this idiot for me, won't you?"

Raleigh rolls his eyes, raking his fingers through his tousled-up hair.

"Someone has to, right?"

That gets a good laugh out of Yancy, who has to lean against the wall to keep from falling over. But when he looks up, his expression darkens as he fixates on a spot just over Raleigh's shoulder. Curious, Mako and Raleigh follow his gaze.

Raleigh voices what Mako's thinking. "Is that...?"

"The guy I did the experiment with? Yeah," Yancy mutters. "I didn't think he'd graduate."

The guy in question looks like the arrogant jock from every high school movie Mako's ever seen. His clipped blond hairstyle, broad shoulders, and loud laugh make him stick out of the crowd. Five other guys, presumably his teammates, stand in a circle around him and pretend to throw punches. He apparently senses that he's being watched, because he snaps his head around to face Raleigh, Mako, and Yancy. They look away immediately.

Raleigh nudges his brother. "Aren't you going to go say hi?"

"Are you kidding? Last time I saw the guy, we were in each other's brains."

"I think he's coming this way," Raleigh says, throwing his arms around Mako's and Yancy's shoulders. "What's say we get out of here, huh?" Together, they wade out of the crowds of happy families to the parking lot. Mako checks over her shoulder a couple of times, relieved when she sees they're not being followed.

They have to hike to the far end of the coliseum parking lot, where the Beckets' RAV4 sits in the shade far from the other cars. Raleigh hops in the driver's seat. Before Mako can take the back seat, Yancy opens the passenger door for her.

"I prefer the back," he says, winking. Mako bows, hopping into the seat beside Raleigh.

"Where to, Yance?" Raleigh asks, starting the car and turning on the A/C.

"How about that little place we passed in Port Angeles on New Year's?"

"Perfect. Mako, you joining us for lunch?"

"I should be heading back. Besides, I don't want to intrude."

"You won't be."

She smiles but shakes her head. "Maybe another time."

"Suit yourself," Raleigh says, backing out of the parking space. Fortunately, they waited long enough to leave, so there aren't too many cars fighting to get off campus. 

Yancy stretches out in the middle of the backseat, arms draped behind the headrests on either side of him. "Now this I could get used to. Raleigh, you need to chauffeur me around all day."

"In your dreams, Yance."

The campus is beautiful on this sunny spring day. Ancient spruce trees and newly planted saplings flank both sides of the winding streets. The promise of summer hangs in the air with a warm breeze and cloudless cerulean skies. Mako just listens as Yancy and Raleigh plan the rest of their day. Her gaze, though, follows the evergreen trees whizzing by the passenger window as they leave campus on the main road out of town. She almost wishes Raleigh would get lost taking her home.

 _At least I've got a week and a half before I leave_ , she thinks, smiling. _We'll have plenty of sunny days to spend outdoors._

—————

The next year passes by quicker than either of them had planned.

Summer is a series of Skype calls, Japanese lessons, robotics competitions, and late-night study sessions at the beginning of the semester. Their first Drift that August unlocks even more of their hidden talents; Raleigh surprises Mako and the techs in the room—and even himself—when he answers one of Newt's questions in near-fluent Japanese. As Raleigh and Mako had suspected, Newt subjects them to all kinds of tests to classify what he had taken to calling their Drift Compatibility. They try to act surprised for Newt's sake when he tells them they've got a strong connection.

Autumn rolls in and the trees around campus shed their green summer colors for fiery orange, red, and yellow. Before their schoolwork threatens to drown them, Mako and Raleigh sneak in a few hours at Shi Shi Beach and Cape Flattery on the weekends. After skipping class one evening to watch the sunset, Mako wonders why she'd never visited the coast before.

Winter sets in with a flurry of snowstorms. The first comes in November, piling snow on the roads and campus like ashes in a campfire. Their sixth Drift is their last; just before Christmas, Newt, Dr. Gottlieb, and Dr. Lightcap break the news that they're suspending the Drift testing program indefinitely. Raleigh and Mako leave the lab for the last time with heavy hearts, but they cheer up walking shoulder to shoulder against the winter wind. Not wanting to leave each other's company, they venture to Starbucks to warm up over hot chocolate and cider. That coffee shop soon becomes their substitute for the silent reading room during exam season.

Spring arrives with pomp and bittersweet circumstances. Mako's team wins their state championship but loses worlds. On the ride to the airport, she gets a text from Raleigh saying he can feel her disappointment even while she's in Louisville. As final exams approach, Mako stops teaching Raleigh Japanese and he stops taking her on spontaneous road trips.

And then it's commencement. From her perch in the top row of the coliseum, Mako tries to spy Raleigh amid the sea of graduates. Fortunately, Raleigh helps her out; he'd managed to sneak his phone into the ceremony. While she doesn't cheer when his major is called, she and Raleigh barely contain their laughter remembering what happened the previous year.

"Did you take a nap during the speech this year?" Raleigh asks when she finds him in the concourse an hour later.

"Nope," she says, giving him a hug. "Was it the same as last year's?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"You know you can't keep secrets from me, right?"

"I know." Raleigh grins, and the two saunter out of the coliseum and toward Raleigh's apartment. Mako leads them to a silver Toyota parked in a guest space near the leasing office. Tam had let her borrow the car for the occasion, so it's Mako's turn to chauffeur Raleigh to that same diner he and Yancy went to in Port Angeles the year before.

"I got you something," Mako says after the waitress leaves the table with their orders.

"You didn't—"

"I know. I did, anyway." She grins, pulling out a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a blue ribbon. "Open it!"

Raleigh rolls his eyes, but he tears into the paper eagerly. "Oh, wow, Mako."

"Do you like it?"

Raleigh carefully pulls the vintage Polaroid camera from its box. "I love it."

"I figured before you head to basic training, you could take a few memories with you. Cape Flattery, your favorite spot on Shi Shi Beach, the campus—"

She's mid-sentence when Raleigh snaps a photo of her, the flash taking her off guard. "Hey! I wasn't ready."

"Exactly." He flashes a mischievous grin. The camera spits out a blank image, and he sets it on the table between them. "You know, you're not actually supposed to shake a Polaroid picture." They both smirk as the infamous OutKast song starts playing in their heads. "It ruins the image."

"It's not as cool, though," Mako admits. She stares intently as the dark background slowly blooms with color, her distracted expression being the last to develop.

Raleigh picks the photo up and holds it up. "This is going in the scrapbook."

The second picture Raleigh takes is of the restaurant and its next-door neighbor. They had to cross the street so he could get both in focus. Fortunately, it isn't too busy even for a Saturday afternoon, so he gets a clear shot of both buildings.

"That's the bar Yance and I went to for New Year's," he explains, pointing to the sleepy spot right next to the diner. "Let's see, that was... a year, four months, and ten days ago."

"You've been counting?" Mako teases.

"Simple math," Raleigh says, tapping his temple.

The drive back is familiar to both of them. _I came back this way from my robotics competition,_ Mako thinks, knowing Raleigh can read her mind.

 _And me and Yance from New Year's_ , he responds.

Sharing thoughts takes more concentration, though, as they found out after their fifth Drift, so Mako gives them a reprieve. "At least now we can talk to each other in person on this long drive."

"Thank goodness. You lose a lot of meaning over texts."

Mako nods, shifting in her seat to get comfortable for the hour drive. "It's going to be different when school starts up again," she mutters. "I know you'll be just a few miles away, but…"

"We won't get to hang out anymore," Raleigh finishes. "I know." _We had this same talk about Yancy last year. It was hard then. It's going to be harder now._

Raleigh reaches for her hand, and Mako squeezes it, not taking her eyes off the road. The two-lane highway weaves in between ancient spruce and birch trees, their branches waving in the summer breeze.

_The future seems so uncertain._

They're not sure who first poses that thought, but it resonates with both of them. Time feels like it's running out, but neither know where their paths will take them. Over the next hour until they get back to Raleigh's apartment, they don't let go of each other's hands. All they feel like they can do is hold tight to each other. 


End file.
